…searching for my family's history…

52 Ancestors: #4 Rebecca Alice (Richardson) Coulman

Amy Johnson Crow, on her blog No Story Too Small, has challenged her fellow bloggers to post 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. This is week four.

Rebecca Alice Richardson, my great-grandmother, was born on January 9, 1883 to William John Richardson and Rebecca Lusty. The family lived in Lewisham, Kent, England and her baptismal record appears to indicate they lived at 21 Ardmere Road. She was baptised in June of 1883 at St. Mary‘s in Lewisham. Rebecca was the first-born in a family that eventually encompassed 10 children.

The family emigrated to Canada when Rebecca was still very young. On September 18, 1887, William and Rebecca, along with their children Rebecca (4), William (2) and Alfred (1), arrived in Quebec City, Quebec, on board the Polynesian. They had sailed from Liverpool – a voyage that took approximately a month in that era. Also on board was a George Richardson, likely William’s brother, and his family. William was listed as an agriculture labourer.

By 1891, the family was listed on the census in St. Paul’s Ward, York East in Ontario. Eight-year-old Rebecca was listed, along with her younger siblings William, Alfred, Rosey and John.

Rebecca married Edward Cornelius Coulman on October 17, 1900 in Toronto, Ontario. They were a young couple. While the marriage registration indicates that Rebecca was 18 and Edward was 21, simple math suggests they were both only 17.

In 1901, Rebecca and Edward, both 18 years old, are found on the census living with Rebecca’s aunt and uncle, Alfred and Martha Richardson, in Toronto, Ontario.

Their first child, my grandfather, was born in April the following year. Following him, were four younger brothers and two younger sisters. All but one lived to adulthood. In the 1911 census the family is shown living at 109 Jersey Avenue in Toronto, just down the street from Rebecca’s parents and siblings.

The 1921 census finds the family living at 416 Montrose Avenue in Toronto, Ontario.

Rebecca was widowed on March 29, 1949 and she passed away on May 4, 1952 at her daughter’s home in Toronto.